I have been struggling about whether or not to write this post. I am doing it to hope I will start to feel better. I am becoming increasingly disappointed and disillusioned with my RT, now that I have been able to start riding it. There is plenty good about it, but the bad things and the little nuisances are bothering me no end. Yestedary I rode my BMW for the first time this year, and it put my feelings in perspective. There is no hiding my disappointment.
OK, why? Well, first there is the lack of quality control in a high end (and high dollar) vehicle. Paint runs, bubbles, and abundant orange peel do not belong on a limited edition vehicle. Then there is the gauge light that repeatedly refuses to work. Of course the gas gauge bounces half the scale, buries itself at the bottom before the low fuel warning comes on, and is generally useless, so I suppose having no light may be a blessing in disguise. Even the PE number embroidery is not up to snuff, with uneven stitching that makes the "#0150" appear to say "#0450".
The Spyder ate a spark plug the very first day. It continues to do so. Hard starting, plug fouling, misfiring at highway speeds...and a response from the tech to "never start it unless you are going to ride it", and advice to carry extra plugs. Toss in the very poor mileage, and horsepower on the MCO that does not match the advertising, and my face gets longer.
Ther last straw has been the hideous handling. I knew from some demo rides that the RT tended to dive into turns, and that it wallowed a bit. I was not prepared for how unpredictable this was. I have to be paying close attention every single second, just to avoid running off the road. I have thousands of Spyder miles under my belt, but this is a vastly different beast...and it saddens me. The idea was to have a stable vehicle that handled well under adverse conditions, and was relaxing to ride, like our RS, but more comfortable. Highway miles with this wobbly monster are a chore, and riding behind a semi is as scary as anything I have ever done...and I have done a lot of scary things. The last straw was having the handling deteriorate when we rode two-up, and having it be so noticeable that my wife asked if I was having handling problems because of her.
I am hoping some of these things can be worked out without throwing good money after bad. I have increased the tire air pressure to no avail. I will set up the shocks to max, but I don't know if it will help much more. I have to check the toe-in, but it is not visibly bad. I will also have to check all the suspension components for looseness. The RTS will eventually require a paint job. Disappointing to throw that kind of dough at a new vehicle. The jury is still out on the misfire, I will give the dealer another chance to address it. If I can cure it somehow, it should help the mileage. The gauges will be removed and I will revert to the digitals...sad waste of money. I bought this to be a highway vehicle. If it turns into a ride-around-town toy, it will go to the back of the garage...and likely rot there. Too bad, there was great potential here, but the execution leaves much to be desired. This is without a doubt the most comfortable motorcycle I have ever ridden...bar none. Comfort can't be coupled with poor workmanship, poor performance, and bad handling, however. For now, Nancy's RS and my Beemer will continue to be the rides of choice.
opcorn:
